Who We Are
The Center for Urban Youth and Family Development (CUYFD) is a Detroit nonprofit focused on youth substance misuse prevention, mental health, and youth development. We are based at 15827 Indiana Street in northwest Detroit and serve the Westside ZIP codes 48204, 48235, and 48238. In 2025, CUYFD served more than 1,000 young people.
Our History
Marsialle Arbuckle, Sr. and Marseille Arbuckle, Jr. founded CUYFD in 2009 after a 27-year career at Ford Motor Company. He grew up in the foster care system, and CUYFD’s first programs served youth in and aging out of foster care.
CUYFD has grown in stages:
2018: CUYFD formed its community coalition and received a Drug-Free Communities grant.
2023: CUYFD received a Strategic Prevention Framework–Partnerships for Success grant from SAMHSA.
Since then: CUYFD added prevention work through the STOP Act, the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, and a CDC grant focused on youth opioid and prescription drug misuse.
Our Mission
Fostered youth emerge from the foster care system vulnerable to substance abuse with little opportunity to obtain higher education and/or develop life skills. The Center for Urban Youth and Family Development empowers youth that are in and are transitioning out of the foster care system to overcome the struggles and challenges by providing them substance abuse prevention, life skills training, and workforce development programs. Drawing from the life experiences of our founder, Mr. Marsialle Arbuckle, we open the door to a positive and productive life through education, health, and life skills development.
Our Vision
We envision a community where foster children emerge from the system with equal opportunities in education, health, and career. Through our Step-Beyond Program, fostered youth gain valuable tools for approaching their futures with confidence, self-discipline, and a positive attitude. Fostered youth are instilled with the value of hard work and make healthy life decisions informed by spiritual, social, intellectual, and emotional awareness. We believe that character, scholarship, uplift, and perseverance, combined with friendship, love and truth, will lead to peace, happiness and prosperity. Through our three-pronged approach of working with foster youth, health care advocacy, and community activism; we envisage strong and healthy communities governed by good public policies, which are not only essential for youth transitioning from foster care to flourish, but for all youth transitioning into adulthood.
Our Goals
Reduce youth use of alcohol, tobacco and vaping, marijuana, and prescription drugs on Detroit’s Westside.
Strengthen collaboration among the 12 sectors of the CUYFD Coalition.
Expand access to mental health education, suicide prevention training, and referrals for youth and families.
Prepare youth ages 14–21 for school, work, and adulthood, with priority for youth in and transitioning out of foster care.
Give parents and caregivers practical skills to guide their children through the teen years.
Advocate for local, state, and federal policies that keep young people safe and healthy.
Our Leadership
Marsialle Arbuckle, Sr., Founder, President, and CEO
Marseille Arbuckle Jr., Chief Operating Officer and Project Director
Donna Wallace, Prevention Educator
Gwen Moore, Youth Coordinator
Our Partners
Hartford Memorial Baptist Church
Detroit Public Schools Community District and partner schools
The Children’s Center
Michigan State University
Growing Detroit’s Young Talent
Ford Philanthropy
Developing K.I.D.S.
Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network
Catalyst Evaluation Group
Our Funders
Drug-Free Communities Support Program
SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework–Partnerships for Success
STOP Act (Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network
Michigan Prevention Network